Finishing beading or molding



P 1960 R. E. TRUESDELL ET AL 2,954,310

FINISHING BEADING OR MOLDING Filed June 16, 1959 INVENTORS ROBERT E.TRUESDELL a BEN S. JONES ATTOR NEY FINISHING READING R MOLDING Robert E. Truesdell, Royal Oak, and Ben S. Jones, Hazel Park, Mich., assignors to T & J Corporation, Hazel Park, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed June 16, 1959, Ser. No. 820,730

12 Claims. (Cl. 1'54-43) This invention relates to finishing beading or molding, and more particularly to such beading or molding as is used to cover the raw edges of sheet steel pinch'weld paneling.

The invention involves the use of a metal backbone of Wire or narrow thin strip, steel, to which is secured, either integrally or by conjunction, a series of spaced discrete parallel transversely dependent ribs of metal. The ribs terminate in a pair of sharp claw edges. All about the backbone and ribs, except at the claw edges, a coating of a resilient plastic material is applied extending longitudinally of the backbone and fully about it and the ribs. A longitudinally extending pocket or groove intermediate the rib portions provides space to receive the sheet steel pinch weld edge encased by the molding and gripped by the claw edges of the ribs on either side. The finishing beading or molding serves at least two functions. First, it protects the person from the sharp raw edges of sheet steel covered by the molding; in this respect, it serves a safety function. Secondly, the outer plastic material of the molding may be formed in attractive finishes and colors, and thus a decorative function is served.

As shown in the drawing and described below, the invention may take one of several forms.

It is an object of the invention to provide a finishing molding having a backbone of wire or narrow strip material to which are secured spaced discrete parallel transverse rib members in depending relationship to the backbone, all substantially encased in a resilient plastic material. Another object is the provision of sharp clawlike edges on the ends of the rib members arranged in aligned opposed relationship. A further object is the provision of a pocket within the compass of the extrusion coated framework. Yet another object is the provision of the said clawlike edges on the rib members extending into the pocket of the molding beyond the surface of the extruded or cast molded coating.

These and additional objects of the invention and features of construction will become more apparent from the description given below, in which the terms used are employed for purposes of description and not of limitation.

Reference is here made to the drawing annexed hereto, forming an integral part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a finishing molding embodying the invention, certain features of construction being shown in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the molding shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4, 6 and 8 are side elevational views of other forms of the invention.

Figs. 5, 7 and 9 are vertical sectional views taken on the lines 5, 7-7 and 9-9 of Figs. 4, 6 and 8, re-

spectively.

Fig. 10 is a plan layout of the backbone and rib members employed in the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

As shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the finishing molding 10 comprises a backbone of wire 12 to which is secured, by welding or mechanical attachment, a longitudinally extending series of transversely arranged, parallel, spaced discrete, depending rib members 14. These rib members are provided with a web 16 and a pair of arms 18, at each side of the web, each terminating in a sharp clawlike hook end 20.

As shown, the rib members 14 are arranged with their Webs 16 disposed above the wire backbone 12. However, it will be understood that the wire rib members 14 may also be arranged with the backbone 12 overlying the webs 16, being secured as before by welding or mechanical attachment. Rib members are made of metal having good to excellent elastic properties, so that the compressive effect of the claw ends 20 will result in a positive grip upon the pinch weld sheet steel edge.

Disposed over the entire framework of the backbone 12 and rib members 14 is a coating 22 of a resilient plastic material. The coating 22 extends inwardly between the rib members 14 to form a channel-type molding 10, provided with a longitudinally extending pocket, slot or groove 24, within which is disposed the raw edge or edges 26 of the pinch weld sheet steel 28 or metal that the molding 10 is designed to cover and encompass. The application of the coating material 22 over the framework should leave the claw hook ends 20 free and exposed in the groove 24. The coating 22, as well as the coatings on the forms of the invention to be more specifically described below, may be extruded upon the framework of backbone 12 and rib members 14, or may be cast molded or injection molded upon sections of such framework. Extrusion being a continuous automatic process, it lends itself to long run, low cost production where feasible from an equipment and operation standpoint. Cast or injection molding is indicated should be the extrusion process be unwarranted.

The backbone wire 12 is preferably secured by welding to the rib members 14 at their webs 16, in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Various mechanical means for attaching the elements together in the combination molding 10 shown and described are well known by persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains and may also be used in place of the welding process.

Another form of the invention, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is the molding orbeading 40 comprising the double backbone wires 42 secured to rib members 44 at the juncture of the webs 46 andthe arms 48, which terminate in the claw hook ends 50. The use of two spaced apart backbone wires 42 tends to strengthen the framework of the molding, by resisting twisting or pivoting of the rib members44. .The rib members 44 are the same as used in molding 10. The framework is covered by the resilient plastic coating 52 as in the case of molding 10, so that the backbone wires and rib members are fully covered except for the terminal portions of the book ends 50.

Yet a third form of the invention, Figs. 6 and 7, involves the use of strip metal rib members. the molding 60 comprises a backbone wire 62 and a longitudinally extending series of transversely arranged, parallel, spaced, depending narrow strip rib members 64 having web portions 66 secured to the backbone 62 and depending arms 68 terminating in claw hook ends 70. The entire framework, except for the ends 70, is covered with a resilient plastic coating material 72, as in the case of moldings 10 and 40. g

The fourth form of the invention as shown and described herein, Figs. 8, 9 and 10, comprises a molding having a backbone 82 and rib members 84 integrally formed from strip steel or metal. See Fig. 10. The

Patented Sept. 27, 1960 In this form,

backbone 82 is designed as a thin narrow connecting continuous web between opposedly disposed, parallel, spaced discrete rib members 84 coming off of the backbone web as uniform symmetrical branches. The rib members 84 are formed into a web 86 with arms 88 on each side thereof, terminating in claw hook ends 90, similar to those shown and described for moldings 10, 40 and 60. Rib member arms 88 are formed with first portions 88a, adjacent the connecting web 86 and on each side thereof, which lie substantially in the plane of rib web 86 and continuous backbone web 82. These portions 88a may be slightly curved downwardly as shown or may project laterally substantially outwardly in the plane of web 86. The next adjacent portion 88b of each of the arms 88 are then bent or deformed downwardly so that this portion is disposed in a plane substantially normal to the plane of the web 86. As before, the entire framework, except for the hook ends is covered with coating 92 of a resilient plastic material.

It will be noted that the narrow thin section of the backbone 82 is comparable to the wire backbones I2, 42 and 62, and the rib members 84 are comparable to the Wire rib members 14 and 44, employed in the preceding forms of the invention. The advantage however of an integrally formed framework for the finishing molding lies in the reduction of production operations, whereby costs may be lowered.

In operation, any of the coated framework moldings 10, 40, 60 or 80 is mounted upon the raw pinch weld edge 26 of the sheet metal or steel 28 so that the edge is seated in the longitudinally extending pocket or groove of the molding, with the claw hook ends of the rib members gripping the metal under compression.

The sheet steel pinch weld edges are not always straight but may be curved or arranged in many forms requiring a complementary configuration in the finishing beading or molding. The use of wire or narrow strip backbones easily permits flexure of the molding into the required configuration without excessive stress in the molding framework. In addition, the spacing of the rib members at regular intervals longitudinally of the backbone permits fiexure of the resilient plastic coated framework both transversely as well as longitudinally to suit the particular application calling for a finishing beading or molding.

The plastic coating materials include the polyvinyls, rubbers, plastisols, and such combinations of these materials or others as are practiced in the art to which the invention pertains. The backbone and rib members are preferably made of steel, the ends of the rib arms being preferably cut at an acute or shear angle to effect sharp claw hook ends turned in toward each other.

In coating the framework of the molding with the resilient plastic material, the claw hook ends of the transverse rib members may in some instances become slightly coated with the plastic material. However, when the molding strip is applied to the pinch weld edge the claw hook ends on rib members substantially stiffer than the resilient plastic material will pierce through any coating that may, perchance, cover them, and tightly and directly grip the metal therebetween. Therefore it will be understood that under the limitations of production tooling and controls, some of the claw hook ends may inadvertently and unintentionally become coated with a very slight thin overlay of material. Nevertheless, the function of the molding will be achieved upon application thereof to the sheet metal pinch weld edge.

Having described the invention in its simplest terms, it is to be understood that the features of construction may be changed and varied in greater or lesser degree without departing from the essence of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending continuous backbone of narrow thin flexible relatively stiff material, a

longitudinally extending series of discrete rib members spaced apart along said backbone and connected to said backbone in transverse depending relationship, each of said rib members having a central web portion integrally formed with spaced opposed parallel aligned arms terminating at their ends in claw hook elements directed substantially toward each other, said backbone and said rib members forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of a resilient material about said framework and intermediate said rib member arms on each side of said backbone and forming a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook elements of said rib member arms being exposed in said groove, whereby said molding flexes along said sheet metal edge, overlying the same and said claw hook elements compressively grip said edge on either side thereof to secure said molding thereto.

2. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending continuous backbone of narrow thin flexible metal, a longitudinally extending series of discrete rib members spaced apart along said backbone and arranged transversely of said backbone and in depending relationship thereto, each of said rib members having a central web portion connected to said backbone and a pair of integrally formed spaced opposed parallel arms terminating in claw hook ends directed substantially toward each other, said backbone and said rib members forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about said framework and forming a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof being exposed in said groove, whereby said molding flexes along said sheet metal edge, overlying the same and said claw hook ends compressively grip said edge on either side thereof to secure said molding thereto.

3. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending continuous backbone of flexible wire, a longitudinally extending series of spaced discrete wire rib members arranged transversely of said backbone and in depending relationship thereto, each of said rib members having a central web portion fixedly secured and conjoined to said backbone and a pair of integrally formed spaced opposed parallel arms terminating in claw hook ends directed substantially toward each other, said backbone and said rib members forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about said framework and fOITl'llIlg a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof being exposed in said groove, whereby said molding flexes in conformity with said sheet metal edge, overlying the same and said claw hook ends compressively grip said edge therebetween to secure said molding thereto.

4. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending backbone consisting of a single strand of wire, a longitudinally extending series of spaced discrete wire rib members arranged transversely of said backbone wire and in depending relationship thereto, each of said rib members having a central web portion fixedly secured and conjoined to said backbone and a pair of integrally formed spaced opposed parallel arms terminating in claw hook ends directed substantially toward each other, said backbone and said rib members forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about said framework and forming a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof being exposed in said groove, whereby said molding flexes in conformity with said sheet metal edge, overlying the same and said claw hook ends compressively grip said edge therebetween to secure said molding thereto.

5. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending backbone consisting of a pair of spaced parallel wires, a longitudinally extending series of spaced discrete wire rib members arranged transversely of said backbone wires and in depending relationship thereto, each of said rib members having a central web portion fixedly secured and conjoined to said backbone wires and a pair of integrally formed spaced opposed parallel arms terminating in claw hook ends directed substantially toward each other, said backbone wires and said rib members forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about said framework and forming a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof being exposed in said groove, whereby said molding flexes in conformity with said sheet metal edge, overlying the same and said claw hook ends compressively grip said edge therebetween to secure said molding thereto.

6. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending backbone of flexible wire, a longitudinally extending series of spaced discrete strip rib members arranged transversely of said backbone and in depending relationship thereto, each of said rib members having a central web portion fixedly secured and conjoined to said backbone and a pair of integrally formed spaced opposed parallel arms terminating in claw hook ends directed substantially toward each other, said backbone and said rib members forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about said framework and forming a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof being exposed in said groove, whereby said molding flexes in conformity with said sheet metal edge, overlying the same and said claw hook ends compressively grip said edge therebetween to secure said molding thereto.

7. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending framework comprising a narrow thin continuous backbone strip web of relatively stiif yet flexible material connecting a longitudinally extending series of integrally formed laterally disposed paired parallel rib members, said rib members being spaced apart along said backbone strip web and arranged transversely of and conjoined to said backbone strip web and on either side of and in depending relationship thereto, each of said rib members terminating in a claw hook end directed substantially toward the claw hook end on the rib member paired therewith, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about said framework and forming a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof being exposed in said groove, whereby said molding flexes in conformity with said sheet metal edge, overlying the same and said claw hook ends compressively grip said edge therebetween to secure said molding thereto.

8. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending series of discrete rib members arranged transversely of, spaced apart along and conjoined to a continuous backbone and in depending relationship thereto, each of said rib members having a central web portion fixedly secured and conjoined to said backbone and a pair of integrally formed spaced opposed parallel arms terminating in claw hook ends directed substantially toward each other, said backbone and said rib members forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about said framework and forming a longitudinal channel groove between. aid

6 spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof lying adjacent said groove, whereby said molding flexes along said sheet metal edge, overlying the same, and said claw hook ends piercing through said resilient material covering them compressively grip said edge on either side thereof to secure said molding thereto.

9. In a backbone strip for a resilient flexible channel molding adapted to cover a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending continuous web of substantially uniform width and a longitudinally extending series of laterally directed paired parallel discrete rib members spaced apart along and conjoined to said web, said rib members being formed in depending relationship to and spaced apart from each other both longitudinally and transversely of and on either side of said web, each of said rib members having a first portion extending laterally from and substantially in the plane of said continuous web and a next adjacent portion bent in depending relationship to said first portion, each of said rib members terminating in a hook end directed substantially toward the hook end on the rib member paired therewith, whereby when said backbone strip is prepared as a molding said web and rib members flex in conformity with said sheet metal edge, overlying the same, and said hook ends compressively grip said edge therebetween to secure said molding thereto.

10. The structure defined in claim 9, and in which said depending rib members on either side of said web lie substantially in a plane.

11. The structure defined in claim 10, and in which said rib member planes are disposed substantially parallel to each other.

12. In a resilient flexible channel molding for a sheet metal edge, a longitudinally extending continuous backbone web of relatively stifl yet flexible material, said web having a longitudinally extending series of discrete rib member arms spaced apart along said backbone web and integrally conjoined to said web and disposed laterally thereof and in depending relationship thereto, said rib member arms being arranged in aligned parallel pairs so that each arm of a pair is in spaced opposed relationship to the other arm of said pair on either side of said backbone web, each of said rib member arms termimating in claw hook ends directed substantially toward each other, said backbone web and said rib member arms forming the framework of said molding, a continuous longitudinally extending coating of resilient material about and upon said framework and forming a longitudinal channel groove between said spaced opposed coated rib member arms, the claw hook ends thereof lying adjacent said groove, whereby said molding flexes along said sheet metal edge, overlying the same, and said claw hook ends piercing through said resilient material covering them compressively grip said edge on either side thereof to secure said molding thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,184,792 Troppman May 30, 1916 1,876,519 McKinney Sept. 6, 1932 1,939,631 Randall Dec. 12, 1933 2,102,658 Weisenburg Dec. 21, 1937 2,159,355 Goetze May 23, 1939 2,510,505 Leonard June 6, 1950 2,589,339 Carson Mar. 18, 1952 2,724,130 Richardson Nov. 22, 1955 2,746,103 Bright May 22, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,023,684 Germany Ian. 30, 1958 563,309 Canada Sept. 16, 1958 

1. IN A RESILIENT FLEXIBLE CHANNEL MOLDING FOR A SHEET METAL EDGE, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CONTINUOUS BACKBONE OF NARROW THIN FLEXIBLE RELATIVELY STIFF MATERIAL, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SERIES OF DISCRETE RIB MEMBERS SPACED APART ALONG SAID BACKBONE AND CONNECTED TO SAID BACKBONE IN TRANSVERSE DEPENDING RELATIONSHIP, EACH OF SAID RIB MEMBERS HAVING A CENTRAL WEB PORTION INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH SPACED OPPOSED PARALLEL ALIGNED ARMS TERTINATING AT THEIR ENDS IN CLAW HOOK ELEMENTS DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY TOWARD EACH OTHER, SAID BACKBONE AND SAID RIB MEMBERS FORMING THE FRAMEWORK OF SAID MOLDING, A CONTINUOUS LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING COATING OF A RESILIENT MATERIAL ABOUT SAID FRAMEWORK AND INTERMEDIATE SAID RIB MEMBER ARMS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID BACKBONE AND FORMING A LONGITUDINAL CHANNEL GROOVE BETWEEN SAID SPACED OPPOSED COATED RIB MEMBER ARMS, THE CLAW HOOK ELEMENTS OF SAID RIB MEMBER ARMS BEING EXPOSED IN SAID GROOVE, WHEREBY SAID MOLDING FLEXES ALONG SAID SHEET METAL EDGE, OVERLYING THE SAME AND SAID CLAW HOOK ELEMENTS COMPRESSIVELY GRIP SAID EDGE ON EITHER SIDE THEREOF TO SECURE SAID MOLDING THERETO. 